The First Steps to her Destiny
by Herald Mistylenna
Summary: [Complete] Summary is inside. This is just the first part and I will write the second part only if I get lots of reviews.
1. Disclaimer Chapter

READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ THE NEXT CHAPTER  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters of Mercedes Lackey so don't sue me. Please don't use any of my characters without my permission or I might have to sue you.  
  
Authors Note: This part of the story is only the first part. I plan to write two more parts after this one. At first, I wanted to write this as a personification so it will be slow at the beginning. Please review after you read the first part and I will write the second part quicker.  
  
  
  
Overview of the story  
  
A girl is Chosen and there is nothing out of the ordinary except that she has a strong Firestarting Gift. She is Chosen in the first part of the story and there is a lot of background information and it's very slow, but the background information is absolutely necessary for the second part.  
  
The second part is about her Internship, which is in a different country, because she is Goddess—Chosen. There she is trained as the High Priestess of the moon and learns about her special power.  
  
In the third part, she is declared the heir of the island country as well as being the High Priestess. Then she goes back to help be the other ambassadors to make a treaty. But there are assassins and lifebonds enough to make up for all the boring information in the other parts of the story.  
  
This story is written as though the Mage Storms have never happened.  
  
Overall title: The Moon Song  
  
Title of the first part: The First Steps to her Destiny  
  
Title of the second part: The Training  
  
Title of the third part: Fate is Unexpectedly Rewritten  
  
  
  
Point of view of the first part: as seen by Misty (the main character)  
  
Point of view of the second part: varies  
  
Point of view of the third part: varies 


	2. The Moon Song, Part 1, chapter 2

The Moon Song  
  
Part 1, ch.2  
  
1 The First Steps to her Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own any characters by Mercedes Lackey, so don't sue me. Don't use my characters without my permission.  
  
Author's Note: Mistylenna in this story does not look anything like me. I just couldn't come up without a better name. The first part is written as seen by Misty, the main character.  
  
: : Mindspeech  
  
  
  
My name is Mistylenna Serenity Kinley, but call me Misty because I feel that my name is too big for me. I was born near the village of Deercreek. My mother died at childbirth and left my father with his one and only child, me. A year after I was born, he married a widow, who had a son who was five years older then I was. We lived on a farm five miles south of Deercreek. The land around the farm was rich and the game was plentiful enough to feed us in the winter. Our family worships Yama, the goddess of war and winter, and Yamu, the god of peace and farming. The holy day of the gods, was Friday. I loved Fridays since we did not work on this day.  
  
When I was four and my stepbrother, Rolin, was nine, we went to Deercreek to the market. What we did not know, was that raiders were attacking the town. When we came to the town, we saw only smoke. Then, out of the smoke, an arrow struck my father and he fell into the back of the wagon. Rolin was scared and he hid under the bench. My stepmother was terrified and held me close to her. Out of the smoke, some men rode up. One snatched me out of my stepmother's arms (later, I found out that they killed her). I was terrified and cried a lot when they kidnapped me. They took me and some other village children into the forest to their camp in a cave.  
  
Near midnight, some noise woke me up. I saw two figures, which were dressed in white, and two horses. When the first person reached us, he began quietly to wake up the other children. Meanwhile, the other Herald, because they couldn't be anyone else, freed the raiders' horses and took most of the gold that was stolen. Then he came and helped us escape out of the forest. The villagers were overjoyed to see the Heralds and us. I never found out what happened to the raiders. I was happy that my father and Rolin were fine. Ever since the Heralds rescued me, I was in the village when other Heralds came through Deercreek, in hope to thank the Heralds for rescuing me. 


	3. The Moon Song, Part 1, chapter 3

The Moon Song  
  
Part 1, ch.3  
  
1 The First Steps to her Destiny  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own any characters by Mercedes Lackey, so don't sue me. The song "Windrider Unchained" also belongs to Mercedes Lackey. Don't use my characters without my permission.  
  
Author's Note: Mistylenna in this story does not look anything like me. I just couldn't come up without a better name. The first part is written as seen by Misty, the main character.  
  
  
  
After my stepmother was killed, I had to do much of the farm work. My father made breakfast, and then he and Rolin went to work in the fields. I stayed home, made dinner, and did what chores I could. Sometimes my brother helped. But his 'help' wasn't useful to me. He would beat me if I couldn't do chores right. Sometimes I was afraid to go outside and my father would see the bruises and blame Rolin for it, and then Rolin would beat me more.  
  
When I was eight and my brother was thirteen, a bard came to Deercreek. I was helping my Aunt Zoë with her Inn because my uncle was gone for the week. The bard started to sing. I always loved music, but when the bard sang, the song seemed alive. After the bard finished, Aunt Zoë wanted me to sing. The bard offered to play "Windrider Unchained" if I would sing it. Tentatively, I started to sing.  
  
2 Windrider, fettered, imprisoned, and pinioned  
  
Wing-clipped by magic, his power full drained,  
  
Valdemar's heir is defeated and captive,  
  
With his Companion by Darklord enchained.  
  
Darklord of shadows his fetters is weaving  
  
Binds him in darkness as deep as despair,  
  
Mocks at his anger and laughs at his weeping,  
  
"Where is your strength now, oh Valdemar's heir?"  
  
Darklord had left them by shadows encumbered,  
  
Darshay and Windrider trapped in his gloom,  
  
Deep in his prisons, past hope, past believing,  
  
Heir and Companion, will this be your tomb?  
  
Out of the shadows another draws nearer,  
  
Out of the twilight steals one furtive light.  
  
Shadows dance pain, while the Light sings despairing,  
  
Drawn here by Darshay and Windrider's plight.  
  
Power new-won have the Singer and Dancer,  
  
Power to shatter their curses at last—  
  
Power that also could free the sad captives;  
  
Power to break the bonds holding them fast.  
  
Heart speaks to heart in the depths of the darkness  
  
Grief calls to grief, and they falter, afraid—  
  
Why should they sacrifice all for these strangers?  
  
Then new-won compassion sends them on to aid.  
  
Dancer in Shadows, she weeps as she dances,  
  
Dancing, unmaking the shadow-born bands.  
  
Sunsinger now through tears gives up his power—  
  
Sings back the magic to Windrider's hands.  
  
Spent now, the twain fall into shadows  
  
Gifted to strangers, all that they had gained.  
  
Darklord returns, and by fear is confounded—  
  
Flees the avenger, Windrider unchained!  
  
When I sang it, I sometimes lost track of the world. I wanted to impress the bard, so I sang as well as I could. After I finished, the bard looked at me, then said to my aunt, "This girl has a Bardic Gift."  
  
I didn't remember anything after that except when Aunt Zoë sent me back to the farm with a note for my father. As I rode to my father, I reflected how my life would turn out. If I went to the Bardic Collegium, I would be free of my bullying brother. I would see Companions Field and maybe see the Herald who rescued me. But on the other hand, my father might need my help on the farm.  
  
When I came to the farm, my father wanted to know what news I had heard at the inn. I handed him the note. I will always remember the words it had.  
  
'Misty has the Bardic Gift. We will sponsor her, and if she comes to the inn tomorrow morning, the Bard will take her to the Bardic Collegium.' My father must have read the message a dozen times before he laid it down on the table. Then he sighed and told me to follow him into the attic. From a chest, my father handed me a fan.  
  
  
  
2.1 To be continued  
  
Please review and I will write the next chapter more quickly. 


	4. The Moon Song, Part 1, chapter 4

The Moon Song  
  
Part 1, ch.4  
  
1 The First Steps to her Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own any characters by Mercedes Lackey, so don't sue me. The shukusen idea belongs to Tamora Pierce so don't sue me for that either. Don't use my characters without my permission.  
  
Author's Note: Mistylenna in this story does not look anything like me. I just couldn't come up without a better name. The first part is written as seen by Misty, who is now eight, the main character.  
  
  
  
I gasped with delight and shock, for it was the most beautiful fan I had ever seen. The bars were metal and very sharp. The cloth covering the metal bars appeared to be silk. The picture on the cloth showed a blue sky and a sea-green ocean, which crashed over the rocks. Before it, stood a Companion, its mane waving in the wind.  
  
"I don't like you to leave, but you don't have any choice," my father said mournfully. " I'll miss you so I will give you this a shukusen, which has been made long ago by a smith who specialized in weapons. The ends are sharp so don't touch them and never let anyone see it except by your most trusted friends. Shukusen is translated as "lady's fan". This diary by one of your Herald ancestors should tell you a little about shukusens."  
  
The he hugged me and told me he was proud of me. He then helped me pack everything I would need to get to Haven. Before dawn, he sent me off to my aunt's inn where the Bard slept.  
  
After a tearful goodbye from Aunt Zoë the Bard and I were on our way to Haven. I had lots of time to think about how I would be accepted by my peers. I was just a farmer girl and most of the students in the Collegium were highborn. I just had red-orange, long hair with a streak of white hair near the back of my head. I was small for my age and I looked like I was six even though my eight birthday had been just two weeks ago. My eyes startled people for the color would change from blue to sea green and back, when the weather would change from good to bad. If the weather looked uncertain, my father would watch my eyes. He would brag about me when the neighbors came for a visit. I don't know why my eyes do that, but I didn't complain if it helped my father. As for my personality, it might get me in trouble with the highborn. I was almost never angry at anyone. I loved to read, study, sing, and help people at the market. I usually am very clumsy, so my father only made me learn the bow and sling, if I had to defend myself someday. He had started to teach me staff, but I didn't know much although my father said that I was very good for a beginner.  
  
On our journey, Bard Lythan asked me to sing at a few inns, to see how strong my Gift was, he said. But I suspect it was to hear me sing some of the local songs of my area. The nearer we came to Haven and the Bardic Collegium, the more questions I asked him until he laughingly told me that I would see it when we got to Haven.  
  
Haven was huge. I knew that we wouldn't get to the palace very fast because Haven was built defensively; I had learned that at the temple before the priest fell ill and had to cancel school for a few months. After a little more then two candlemarks, we finally got to the palace. I felt like a country bumpkin, staring at the palace. I was very nervous when we went in search of the Dean of the Bardic Collegium. But he was very friendly. First, I had to play an instrument. I chose to play the flute. Then I had to sing, and again I sang "Windrider Unchained". Some tests later, he and Bard Lythan went outside while I had to remain inside his office. The Dean quickly returned with a stranger in green robes. He looked at me and I had the strange sensation of something pulling in my head. It vanished in a few moments; then the Dean said, "Mistylenna, you don't have a Bardic Gift, but you do have a small Healing Gift."  
  
I wasn't very disappointed since I could be stationed near my village and see my family more often then when I would have been a bard. So after I met the Dean of the Healer Collegium and was tested for my Healing Gift, I got my class schedule. In the dormitory, I had a room all by myself because there weren't many students with Healing Gifts this year. Then another Healer took me on a tour of the three Collegia and then I went back to my room. When I had stored all my things neatly in my room, and changed into the green uniform, I noticed the diary of one of my ancestors lying on my bed. Curious, I picked it up and began to read it. To my surprise, it told exactly how to use it as a weapon. It was practiced by throwing it in a circle to other people who try to catch it by the base end.  
  
I jumped when I heard the bell for dinner ring. I realized then that I was very hungry. As soon as I went outside, I bumped into a trainee. She introduced herself as Tris and was two years older then I was and came here one year ago. Tris and I went into the common room. Since it was summer, all the other trainees except a few were visiting their families.  
  
Tris and I became best friends during the summer. It helped that both of us loved to read. Tris had orange, curly hair, gray eyes, and glasses. She and I did everything together. When classes started again, Tris introduced me to all of her friends. Near winter, we went on a walk that took us near the Companions field. Tris had just told me how a Herald saw that she had the Healing Gift. We stopped at the fence that separated the gardens from the field. There, I showed her the shukusen and told her what my father told me and what I learned from the book. Tris told me that she had read that some island country to the Far West used these as weapons for noble born ladies to defend themselves.  
  
"Misty," she told me," with that toy you won't need weapons training."  
  
We laughed, for I was too little for training. I looked at the Companions grazing in the field, and marveled that the Companion on my shukusen could look so life like. In my room, a letter from my father awaited me. I had told him earlier that I would be a Healer instead of a Bard. In his letter he asked me to return to Deercreek after I finished my training in six or seven years. He told me that it didn't matter to him whether I was a Healer or a Bard and that I had only a small Healing Gift and that I had to mostly rely on herbs. The rest of the letter was only news about relatives and the town. Only my uncle had died from a fever.  
  
I silently promised to myself that I would learn as hard as I could in order to help the people in my village faster.  
  
  
  
  
  
Please review and I will write the next chapter. 


	5. The Moon Song, Part 1, chapter 5

The Moon Song  
  
Part 1, ch.5  
  
1 The First Steps to her Destiny  
  
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own any characters by Mercedes Lackey, so don't sue me. The shukusen idea belongs to Tamora Pierce so don't sue me for that either. Don't use my characters without my permission.  
  
Author's Note: Mistylenna in this story does not look anything like me. I just couldn't come up without a better name. The first part is written as seen by Misty, who is now ten, the main character.  
  
: : Mindspeech  
  
1.1 TWO YEARS LATER  
  
"This round was fun," Tris gasped. We were cooling down after a game of throwing the shukusen around the sale and trying to catch it. The armsmaster watched us go, for he watched us when we practiced with my shukusen.  
  
"Look," I exclaimed, "a Companion!"  
  
A Companion stood a few yards away, outside the field. The mare stood without a saddle or a bridle, which was unusual since most Companions, when they are on Search, go and get their Heralds from all corners of the land.  
  
The Companion looked at us, and started to walk toward us. Both of us were excited and thinking that one of us was going to be Chosen. But I shook of my excitement and whispered to Tris, "You know we won't be Chosen because we are needed as Healers more then we are needed as Heralds."  
  
Tris looked at me and nodded dejectedly and stepped aside. I didn't even watch the Companion for fear that I would cry. To be Chosen was my secret daydream ever since I was rescued. The Companion almost passed us and then stopped between us. Then she looked into my eyes.  
  
I fell into a sea of blue and at the bottom, I could sense total acceptance and a love so deep, tears came into my eyes. :Hello Mistylenna. My name is Sandrilene and I Chose you!:  
  
I was suddenly aware of my surroundings when Tris said, "I can't believe you got Chosen. Well, I can believe it since you never get angry with anyone. Come on, we'll have to move all your stuff to your new room at the Herald's Collegium. But first, can you tell me the name of your Companion?"  
  
"Her name is Sandrilene, but she would rather be called Sandry ," I answered. "And she said that the Dean is coming towards us right now."  
  
Before I knew it, I was moved to a room on the first floor, in the Herald Collegium with all my belongings. I would see Tris maybe tomorrow in some of my classes, since I had already gotten my schedule from the Dean. I didn't need a tour so the Dean left me, confident that I would find my way to my classes in the morning.  
  
The supper bell rang. I went to the common room, but as soon as I opened the door, someone bumped into me (I have always been a little clumsy). A girl with blond hair and gray eyes apologized to me. She looked about two years older than I was. I helped her take some of the stuff she carried to her room, which was next to mine. Then we went into the dinning room, where we sat with some of her friends. The girl's name was Tallyna and she was Chosen a year ago, when she was twelve. She introduced me to a girl in her final year, who was called Elspeth. I nearly choked when I heard that she was the heir, but managed to keep my surprise from showing.  
  
Tallyna appointed herself as my mentor to keep away some of the bullies who were studying in some of our classes. Soon, we were good friends. In the fall, I introduced her to Tris and the three of us practiced with my shukusen on our free afternoons. Then before Midwinter, Tris was apprenticed to a Healer in her home district for six months, and Tallyna went on a trip to a quiet district with her year mates to learn how to survive without any tools. All of my friends went to visit their families. I stayed at the Collegium because I didn't want to strain my father's resources, for our district had had a drought this summer.  
  
On the second day after all my friends left, I was walking to my room from the library where I had spent this afternoon, trying to find a book about the origin of the shukusen and not finding a thing. It was too late and too cold to ride on Sandry and too early for dinner. As soon as I had shut the door to my room, something in my head erupted. I was hot and I felt as if I was on flames. I cried out or I think I did because the Queen's Own Herald Talia came running into my room. Immediately, my pain vanished and was replaced by an immense headache. I managed to stammer out what had happened to me. She looked at me and stated, "It looks like you have a Firestarting Gift. Who have you been Chosen by, Misty?"  
  
I was astonished that she knew my name and told her. She then took me to the stables where Sandry was worriedly waiting for me. :I felt your Gift awakening. I called the Queen's Own because she is the only Herald who can impose shields on you to stop you from burning the palace.: Just then Herald Talia opened the door and opened the door for another Herald. This Herald had brown hair and was unremarkable except that she had such a vivid personality, even I could feel it and I hadn't even met her.  
  
"Hello youngling," she said. "My name is Selena and I will teach you about your Firestarting Gift until Herald Griffin returns."  
  
The next few weeks proved to be some of the hardest. I worked every day to master my Gift, but it was exhausting. Soon, it was easier to burn things with my Gift and not burn the other things. Herald Selena said that my Gift would get stronger as I would grow older. She had a minor Fetching Gift and taught me the Basics. When Herald Griffin finally arrived, I had learned to shield and not burn down the palace.  
  
Tallyna and Tris were not nervous about my new ability as I had expected them to be. Rather they accepted it and everything went back to normal.  
  
Or as normal as anything can be with talking horses, Firestarting Gifts, and bullies.  
  
  
  
  
  
The end of the first part,  
  
But The Moon Song will continue!!  
  
  
  
One of my worst chapters written, but I wanted to get it over with. It will take awhile to write part 2 since I have many projects due over spring break. If you have any ideas for part 2 please e-mail me.  
  
Please review!! 


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